Former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm feels that co-founding guitarist Mick Jones touring under the band's moniker is "false advertising." Gramm, who's gone on record as saying that Jones often treated him no better than a sideman during his years in Foreigner, left the band in 2003 to pursue a solo career and was replaced by current lead singer Kelly Hansen in 2005.

With Hansen a vocal dead ringer for Gramm, Spinner.com asked him its weird being replicated on stage by a band he no longer fronts: "It is. It totally is. But what's stranger to me is that, as I've learned talking to people who see those shows, is that in many cases the audience, especially if they're younger, don't even know it's not the original lead singer. In Foreigner's case, as I understand it, the singer was actually trained to deliver pretty much exactly everything as I did it, note for note. If I were in the audience and learned that while I was there, I'd get up and leave. I think when the band name remains the exact same, but something as important as the lead vocal is different, it's misleading. It's like false advertising."

•Gramm told us that without him, there's no Foreigner, no matter what Jones calls it: "He's put a new band together, and is calling it Foreigner. And that's all well and good, but unless I'm singing, it's not."•Mick Jones, who is the sole original member of Foreigner still recording and touring with the band, explained that he had sensed for a while that original frontman Lou Gramm was seeking greener pastures: "Through the '90s, y'know, Lou and I were kind of really not seeing eye-to-eye. And I always felt since the late-'80s and '90s that Lou was far more interested in doing a solo career. So I'd been fighting a long time and I just wanted to resuscitate the band and see if I could really present a band like I felt Foreigner deserved to be."•Foreigner with Journey and Night Ranger perform on Friday (August 19th) in Virginia Beach, VA at the Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach.

•Coming on September 13th is a Foreigner's three CD/DVD set, Feels Like The First Time. The collection is named after the band's 1977 breakthrough hit, and features one disc of acoustic versions of the band's classic hits -- including a cover of Elvis Presley's "That's All Right" -- full band studio re-recordings of the band's hits, and a new live DVD, which will eventually air on PBS.•The set is available exclusively through Wal Mart. The Juke Box Heroes disc on the collection was originally recorded for licensing purposes -- meaning that the band would sell the new re-recordings to movies and TV, rather than the old tracks, which would bring in a fraction of the royalties. The band said that the new recordings sounded so good, they wanted to share them with fans.JUST OUR OPINION

•In all fairness to Jones, Lou Gramm quit Foreigner not once, but twice. Seeing as he co-wrote most of the band's hits with Jones, he's free to go out and perform them whenever and however he wants. But Mick Jones formed the band -- he actually HIRED Lou Gramm to be in Foreigner -- so the band is his free and clear. He owns the name.•BUT: Voices are like fingerprints -- no two are the same; but some are DECEIVINGLY CLOSE. The singers now fronting Foreigner, Yes, Styx, and Journey are imitators. Mick Jones is selling tickets to a show where you'd never miss HIM if he was gone -- but you'd DEFINITELY miss the sound of Gramm's voice.•So, it's totally cool for him to go on the road as Foreigner and actually BE Foreigner, but stealing a dude's fingerprint to make your show more legit is a dirty trick.

I guess Lou needs the P.R. No such thing as bad PR if you are desperate. That is so sad, for he is a talented man, but his temper has been costly for him.

As for Kelly, the man puts it all out there, holds nothing back emotionally. It's not just his amazing technical skills. He is a consumate professional.

Listen to "Urgent" before Tommy showed up. Definitely not the same. Tommy blows the "original" out of the water.As for Mick not being missed if he didn't show, Lou has obviously not read the disappointment on this forum and the concern for his health. Perhaps before Lou does too much more whining, he should actually see a Foreigner show. If he did, he would realize Foreigner is truly better than ever.

Voices are like fingerprints, there is no doubt about that but the same goes for guitar playing. Mick Jones has a totally distinctive and unmistakable way to play the guitar. He is not missed?!? MY ASS!!!!! Don’t make me laugh!

If people go to a Lou Gramm Band concert, expecting to hear the classic Foreigner hits, and they are then figuring out that Lou is not able to belt those tunes out anymore, does he consider that being false advertising too? Most likely not, eh?

It is a fact that most people actually don’t care WHO is singing but HOW it is done!

Kelly Hansen delivers the goods on stage. He sings the songs in the way there were intentionally written. He does that not because he was trained but simply because he CAN! He sings the song in the way people remember them. He belts out the songs night after night with an almost uncanny consistency and endurance.

To me he just sounds like a scorned lover who leaves his mistress in anticipation of her falling apart but then he figures out that she is alive and kicking and he shows all the signs of jealousy. It is pretty pathetic.

I’m so tired of his public bickering. It really makes me sick. It is like beating a dead horse and I just wish he would stop it. In the end he is hurting nobody else but himself.

How sad! Life is full of changes and new beginnings as Lou of all people should know. Lou quit the band twice on his own accord and decided to go out solo. If he was calling his band "Foreigner", and he was the only original member in the band, according to what he says it would still be "false advertising". Mick owns the name and has the right to use it. Lou sounds like a bitter remorseful man who just can't get out of the past.

I'm very happy that the "Classics" have been re-recorded with Foreigner as it is now. Mick, Kelly, Jeff, Tom, MIchael and Mark are Foreigner and now we can enjoy their talents on this recording. This is the way I prefer to hear the music now!

I noticed that this article was written Aug. 18. The day before Mick missed his first show on Aug. 19. I hope there is no connection between the two.

The comment near the end of the article about no one missing Mick if he was gone, but every one would miss Lou sure backfired! EVERYONE misses Mick!!! We know who Foreigner is now, and I for one wouldn't change a thing.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of this same tired argument and articles, that "Negative Nancy's" seem to post weekly. Why does this always pop up on different threads? The complaints are the same, the responses are the same. You're silly argument in support of Lou and not supportive of Foreigner-now is tired. You have beaten a dead horse to a pulp.

If you are stuck in the past, or don't want to move with us in mad support with the current Foreigner, get the h*ll out of the way and get off this site. Go cry on Lou's site. You don't belong.

I am tired of replying to these comments. But Sherry, Tatjana, and Tricia, thanks for holding it down and defending as always, I can't really add anything else, except, "FOREIGNER CAN'T SLOW DOWN, and WE CAN'T SLOW DOWN!!!

nick: if we have to beat a horse, i prefer him to be dead...when i was six years old, i received a pony for my birthday, but he would not run..my father beat him nearly to death...and the pain still lingers to this day

HA! HA! I love it Sherry, I think plenty of people have shovels on this website & aren't afraid to use them! Unfortunately this topic is just never going to go away, especially when someone has a bit of the green eyed monster in them! It's not good to be jealous of other people & live in the past it will just eat you up inside & make you miserable, but if that's what he wants just be miserable then! Me, I'm happy with the current line-up, FOREIGNER ROCKS fine without Lou in my opinion!

Well said you guys!! Bravo its really sad that man can't get over himself!! Jeez...if hes acting like this now no wander he and mick were having problems look at his attitude now!!! If this is any indication of how he acted then well, no wonder!! Hes got a piss poor attitude now ......for what? Hes not hurting the guys as much as hes hurting himself....he does sound the walking wounded!!! Lou for Gods sake shot the horse already!!! stop crying , put your ba ba in your mouth and pull up your big boy pull ups!! and go to bed NOW!! be nice or we will send Tajiana to spank ya!! >:(stop it stop it stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I actually reflected many of these same feelings before I actually saw the show (if you can find my FIRST post in this forum). And in the back of my mind it is STILL a bit weird that Mick is the ONLY remaining ORIGINAL member of Foreigner. But I'm at least willing to admit that he's done an INCREDIBLE job of recruiting great talent!

I guess Lou needs the P.R. No such thing as bad PR if you are desperate. That is so sad, for he is a talented man, but his temper has been costly for him.

I'm taking it that you are being SARCASTIC when you stated the "no such thing as bad PR comment"? Because I agree with your later statement COMPLETELY when you state that it comes off like whining. I was offended with his remark that he made about Foreigner no longer being Foreigner without him (Lou Gramm) singing. I would have had a lot more respect for him if he had said something more along the lines of "NONE of the other band members". But that particular comment came off as arrogant and ignorant. Especially when you watch the energy of Kelly Hansen and hear him belt out the lines better than even Lou himself usually did and especially CURRENTLY DOES (all three times that I had seen Foreigner, Lou sounded NOTHING like he did in the studio; Hansen actually has a stronger voice). I'd love to see Kelly's reaction to those comments. It sounds like a cheap shot below the belt if you ask me.

And as much as I respect Lou, having even met him personally and all, HE (Lou Gramm) doesn't even sound like Lou Gramm these days with all the health problems he's had. And for the loyal Lou Gramm fans out there, please forgive me if this sounds like a shot below the belt. But I find it no worse than what Lou just did by posting that particular comment in this interview.